
Book /H^/ j'jr 



HOUSE .... No. 



Cfje CommonlDealtl) of ^aggacljiisett^, jVff 

ExEctTTivE Department, Boston, June 5, 1911. 

To the Honorahle Senate and House of Representatives. 

I transmit herewith a report Ly Mr. Walter Webster on 
the jMetropolitan Park Commission. 

The pending- annual appropriations for this Commission 
aggregate over $685,000, all of which is for its regular work 
and does not include additional purchases of land or " ex- 
traordinary expenses." The two chief items are $370,000 
and $189,000 for the yearly expenses of the reservations 
and the parkways, respectively. 

The Metropolitan Park System represents a capital out- 
lay of over $18,000,000, mainly spent for the purchase of 
land and its improvement. Including interest on this debt, 
the total yearly cost to the tax payers is over a million dol- 
lars. The entire direct state tax is less than five million 
dollars. 

Considering the large costs of our necessary public insti- 
tutions, hospitals, asylums, schools, prisons, etc., and the 
general running expenses of the State Govermnent, I can- 
not believe that the tax payers of the state intended that 
the park systems should ever absorb so large a proportion 
of the public funds ; nor do I believe that it is either neces- 
sary or expedient to keep on indefinitely increasing the area 
and the annual expenses of these reservations. 

For example, the Metropolitan Reservations now comprise 
9,400 acres, consisting mostly of woodlands, intersected by 
wood roads and foot paths. The cost to the state represents 
$40 per acre each year for up-keep and expenses as shown 
by the figures given, not including the interest charges. 

The high cost of labor is assigned as a reason for this, 
but from Mr. Webster's analvsis of costs, it is obvious that 



2 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June 

the annnal labor charge of $105,000 is only $11 per acre 
and he recommends reducing this. He says that " the labor 
item has a constant tendency to grow larger and larger in 
an almost imperceptible way and that when the force is once 
increased it is almost never reduced." The same criticism 
may justly be made of all the other expenses. 

In comparing the pending appropriations with those oi 
1910 it should be noted that there is a net increase of onl\ 
$12,000, including all the newly added expenses of the 
Charles River Dam, which amount to $91,000 and which 
were previously disbursed under a separate Commission. 
On the surface, therefore, these figures show, as stated hj 
Mr, Webster, a reduction of nearly $80,000 this year in the 
annual expenses of the Parks and Boulevards. However, 
when we take account of last year's extraordinary expenses, 
such as the costs of new buildings and the $59,000 cost oi 
repairing the damages by storm at Winthrop, this apparent 
saving is wiped out. In fact, the requests for appropria- 
tions this year taken item by item, for police, labor, wages, 
and even for engineering costs, are uniformly higher thar 
last year, aside from the added expenses of the Charles Rivei 
Basin. 

In my judgment the Metropolitan Parks represent a dan- 
gerously heavy outlay of money. Almost the entire preseni 
Metropolitan Parks property was acquired prior to 1901 
but during the ten years since then, the running expenses 
have piled up at a startling rate. The same is true of the 
Parkways (to maintain which an additional annual expense 
of $189,000 is incurred). These are thirty-one miles in total 
length, with an area of 864 acres. These are mainly boule 
vards with a strip of parkway on either side. Their average 
width is (from figures given) 200 feet, including that oi 
the roadway. To maintain each mile of such parkway costs. 
per annum (on the average of this year's request for money), 
over $6,000. For comparison I may say that the whole 
cost of constructing the State highways in the Metropolitan 
District has been but $17,000 a mile. 

I believe that the general public is getting very little re- 
turn for the immense and increasing outlay. As an instance. 



1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 3 

the yearly costs of the item of road repairs are now over 
five times (per square yard) what they were five years ago. 
This increase is almost wholly due to high-speed automobiles 
and I cannot see why the automobile owners should have 
these pleasure roads kept up for their use at public expense. 

For example, the annual costs of policing these public 
spaces are $173,700. A far larger police force is required 
in summer than in winter, largely on account of automobile 
travel. Yet the force is kept up through the winter and kept 
partially occupied in cheap, manual labor, such as cutting- 
wood, notwithstanding the immense sums paid directly for 
labor. 

The general situation may be summed up in the laiiguage 
of Mr, Webster's report : — 

" The regular park boulevard has been converted into an 
aristocratic highway and the public is paying the bills." 

This comment is all the more striking because of the nota- 
bly conservative character of the report. 

A somewhat parallel situation is revealed by the Charles 
River Basin, now maintained under the Metropolitan Park 
Commission. This enclosed water park was built by the 
people at a cost of over $4,000,000 ; it is supported by the 
people for public use at an estimated cost, this year, of over 
$90,000 ; yet in the last annual report of the Chairman of 
the Metropolitan Park Commission we read that the Com- 
mission has proceeded slowly in popularizing the Basin be- 
cause of the " plainly expressed disinclination of property 
owners in the neighborhood of the Basin to have its present 
clean-shaven, formal look, and the uninterrupted vista from 
their houses, interfered with." 

In the same line I regret the necessity of reporting that a 
section of the Blue Hills Reservation, along its southerly 
edge, in Canton on Turnpike Street, is not marked as public 
land but is permitted to appear as private property, occupied 
in part by a privately maintained polo ground, hennery and 
piggery. 

I earnestly recommend that no additional purchases of 
land and no more elaborate engineering improvements on 



4 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June, 1911. 

land already purchased be made, until the present public 
investment in these parks is made more serviceable to the 
public itself; and until the annual costs to the public are 
reduced by increasing the license fees on pleasure automo- 
biles and applying these funds directly to the up-keep of 
these parks and boulevards. With over 30,000 automobiles 
now owned in this state, a very moderately increased tax on 
them would remove this present excessive burden of up-keep 
from the general public, and the very moderate remaining 
public expense would represent only a fair price for the use 
the people make of these public lands. 

Mr. Webster recommends certain reductions in expenses, 
such as reducing the police appropriation by $10,000 ; the 
labor item by $10,000 and the cost of lighting by $5,000. I 
believe these reductions are feasible and request that they be 
made. If this is done as a start I feel sure that further re- 
ductions can be made annually, but I believe that it is of 
much greater importance to enact a law which will provide 
for collecting larger automobile fees and thus put the heavy 
costs of maintaining the parkways directly on those who use 
them most. 

The pending regular appropriations for the Commission 
amount to $370,597.96 for the reservations; $189,483 for the 
parkways; $26,500 for the Nantasket Beach Reservation; 
and $6,512 for the Welling-ton Bridge. Last year the ap- 
propriations (excluding cost of damage by storm at Win- 
throp and other special costs) were $363,142.96; $174,507, 
$24,300, $6,512 respectively, or a total of $24,631 less than 
the present requests. I approve for the current year only 
these same amounts of last year, and also approve the pending 
request for the Charles River Basin of $91,975, representing 
expenses previously borne by a separate Commission which 
is now discontinued. 

There are also pending special appropriations for engi- 
neering work, amounting to $60,000. I cannot approve these 
at this time but will report upon them in connection with 
other engineering work now under investigation in the Met- 
ropolitan area. 

EUGENE N. FOSS. 



Ci)e CommonUjealti) of 6@a00ac!)U0etts!. 



REPORT ON METROPOLITAN PARK COM- 
MISSION. 



By Walter A. Webster. 



To His Excellency Eugene N. Foss, Governor of Massachusetts. 

I herewith transmit to you my report covering my investi- 
gation of the current exjDenditures of money under the super- 
vision of the Metropolitan Park Conmiission. 

The immense field covered by this commission has necessi- 
tated a great deal of detail work and consequent delay. The 
commission itself and its subordinates have been very cour- 
teous and have done all in their power to aid me. 

I make a number of concrete recommendations, involving a 
saving in the maintenance of the park system of $30,000 
per annum : — 

For labor $10,000 

For police 10,000 

At Nantasket, 5,000 

For lighting, 5,000 

I also make the following recommendations : — 

That the jurisdiction of the bridge between Cambridge 
and Boston be taken from the park commission and treated 
similarly to the other bridges between Cambridge and Boston. 

That the commission annually print in its report an item- 
ized statement of its expense fund, showing its receipts. 

That Charles River Basin be popularized. 



6 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June, 

That the advisability of placing the employees on the 
Charles River Basin under the civil service requirements 
be considered. 

That a special automobile license be required in the met- 
tropolitan area. 

That the State highv^ays in the metropolitan area be placed 
under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Park Commission. 

That if additional revenue is raised that the price of bath- 
ing be decreased. 

I also at this time recommend that the annual report of 
the commission be properly indexed on account of the diffi- 
culty of readily finding information without it. 

I file herewith as supplementary to the main report a state- 
ment of facts regarding a polo ground and shooting stand on 
the Blue Hills Reservation. 

In general, I have found this commission to be an excel- 
lent administrative body. Its plan of organization is excel- 
lent and its work is done economically. 

It is difficult to compare the work of this commission with 
other departments of the Commonwealth in many respects, 
as the work is so entirely different, but it can be fairly said 
that the overhead costs, so called, and the administrative 
expenses are less than in any other department, in proportion 
to the volume of work done. The commission has held its 
own in this respect from year to year. 

Respectfully submitted, 

WALTER A. WEBSTER. 



1911.1 HOUSE — Xo. 1985. 



REPORT. 



Historical Kksume. 

The Metropolitan Park Commission was born in 1892, 
when, bv chapter 342 of the Acts of that year, a commission 
of three was authorized to " consider the advisability of lay- 
ing out ample open sjDaces for the use of the public in the 
towns and cities in the vicinity of Boston." 

The result was the act establishing a Metropolitan Park 
Commission, chapter 407 of the Acts of 1803. This act 
provided for five commissioners, and provided that they 
should serve without compensation. They were given power 
'^ to acquire, maintain, and make available to the inhabitants 
of said district open spaces for exercise and recreation." 
The district originally comprised 12 cities and 25 towns, 
and at the present time comprises 13 cities and 2(i towns. 
Chapter 407 started the acquirement of reservations. 

Boulevard or parkway construction was authorized by 
chapter 288 of 1894, and is a distinct act from the reserva- 
tion act of 1892, being supplementary thereto. These two 
acts formulated into law the concrete conception of an entire 
park system covering the whole metropolitan area wdth the 
various sections connected by boulevard, or highways of first- 
class construction. 

Revere Beach was added to the system by chapter 483 of 
the Acts of 1894, while Charles River was fi]-st authorized to 
be improved by chapter 509. Acts of 1894. 

ISTantasket Beach was acquired by chapter 464 of the Acts 
of 1899, and Cohasset and Hull were added to the metropol- 
itan park system by reason of this taking. The last great 
acquisition was the Charles River Basin, which became a 
part of this system in 1910, but which had been in process 
of construction by a separate commission since 1904. 



8 jMETROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June, 

A great many other legislative acts have been passed au- 
thorizing the acquisition of new territory or the improvement 
of old, while various persons, bj will, have made splendid 
gifts of land to this system. 

In 1893 the park system was rej^resented by 9911/^ acres, 
consisting of the Beaver Brook Reservation of 59 acres, and 
a fragment of Blue Hills, containing 9o^i^ acres. 

In 1894 Middlesex Fells^ with 1,583 acres, was added; 
Stony Brook, with 475 acres, together with 3,000 more acres 
in Blue Hills, making a total of 6,070 acres. 

In 1895, 85 acres were acquired at Revere Beach; 188 
acres on Charles River ; 3 acres at King's Beach, and 24 
acres at Hemlock Gorge. The holdings at Blue Hills were 
also increased, and so were those in Middlesex Fells. 

In 1896 the only material increase in area was that in 
Middlesex Fells^ 137 acres. 

In 1897 there was very little increase, except at Charles 
River, where 57 acres were added. 

In 1898 Blue Hills took on 545 more acres; Charles 
River, 310 acres; and the West Roxbury parkway, of 156 
acres, was added. 

In 1899 there was a substantial increase again: Mystic 
River, with 290 acres ; jSTeponset River, with 920 acres ; 
Wintkrop Shore, with 16 acres, and ISTantasket Beach, with 
3 acres, being added. This brought the total acreage up 
to 9,279. 

In 1900 the increase was very slight. Quincy Shore was 
acquired, with 38 acres, as was also Lynn Shore, with 4 
acres, while Nantasket Beach was enlarged. 

In 1901 Hart's Hill was acquired, with 23 acres. 

In 1902^ 1903, 1904, 1905, down to date, further acquisi- 
tions to the reservations were limited to the acquirement of 
land contiguous to existing possessions. 

The boulevard or parkway system (as distinct from the 
foregoing which relates to the park system, or reservations) 
was a negligible quantity in 1893 and 1894, and really only 
started in 1895, when the parkways, exclusive of streets ac- 
quired, amounted to lll^/o acres. Each succeeding year 



1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 9 

from this time on witnessed parkway takings, which con- 
nected the principal park areas with one another and which 
were a valuable addition to the beaches and riverways. so 
that in the current year there are 31,687 miles of parkway, 
embracing an acreage of 864.16. 

The acquirement of large areas for park purposes has 
practically ceased, and except for necessary additions to the 
existing system it is doubtful if the acreage will materially 
increase, unless perhaps in isolated spots or by reason of 
some extraordinary movement of public opinion. 

Organization. 

The Metropolitan Park Commission consists of five mem- 
bers, who supervise and pass upon all acquirements, construc- 
tion, purchases, permits and the acts of the departments and 
of the division superintendents. It is the executive head of 
the park system. The chairman receives a salary of $4,500 
per year, and is the active head of the commission. The 
other members receive no salary, but are entitled to $600 per 
year for expenses. The secretary is the recording and exec- 
utive officer of the Board. All records and property are in 
his charge, and he is responsible for all money received to 
the account of the Board, and is under bonds to the amount 
of $10,000. The present secretary is also law officer of the 
Board, under authority from the Attorney-General, and as 
such has charge of law matters and settlement of claims 
generally, except in trial of cases arising out of takings, en- 
forcement of restrictions, and other matters which are han- 
dled directly by the Attorney-General. He has general su- 
pervision of the office and its various departments, of the 
police and the several division superintendents and their 
work. 

The assistant secretary, who is also the purchasing agent, 
acts as secretary in the absence of the secretary. He has 
charge of the purchasing department, of inspections, inven- 
torieSj and the discarding of materials, tools and other prop- 
erty which are no longer useful. 

The Board divides itself into sub-committees, the chair- 



10 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June, 

man being a member of every sub-committee. These sub- 
committees divide up the vast territory, in order that careful 
supervision may be exercised over all of the area. In the 
present Board Mr. Whitney and Mr. Casas are a sub-com- 
mittee for the Blue Hills section, which includes the Stony 
Brook Reservation and also Furnace Brook and Quincy 
Shore. Mr. Curtis and Mr. Casas are the committee on 
Revere Beach, Charles River Basin, Lynn and Nahant. Mr. 
Skillings and Mr. Casas look after the Middlesex Fells area, 
while Mr. Benton and Mr. Casas look after the upper por- 
tion of Charles River and that section. 

The members of these sub-committees act only under vote 
of the Board, but they come together frequently for inspec- 
tion, conference and advice. 

The Board prepares and presents to the Legislature an- 
nual estimates for maintenance appropriations, and after the 
appropriations are made apportion them to the work. 

The Board elects its chairman, appoints the secretary and 
other employees of the general office, selects all experts and 
special advisers, division suiJerintendents, police and other 
employees, except laborers, and passes upon all contracts 
above $25 in amount, but individually makes no purchases, 
contracts or appointments. 

A chief engineer, with eleven assistants, two clerks, a 
chauffeur and occasional other assistants are at the general 
office. There is also a paymaster, and a small force of clerks, 
messengers and a telephone operator divided among the de- 
partments of records and files, accounts and general office 
work. 

Special and expert assistants, such as architects, landscape 
architects, consulting engineer, appraisers, and those who 
assist in estimating values of real estate and obtaining op- 
tions for its purchase^ are employed as necessity requires. 

The salary paid to the chairman of this Board of $4,500 
per year does not seem to me to be excessive, considering the 
vast range of his executive duties, and is less than the salary 
paid to commissioners and other officials of the Common- 



1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 11 

wealth, the city of Boston aud the national government who 
do less work than he is required to do, and in many cases 
work of a less important nature. 

The $600 per year received by the other four commission- 
ers is not a salary, for many years ago they declined a salary, 
when there is little doubt that the Legislature would have 
granted them from $3,000 to $4^000 each per year had they 
desired to accept it. This nominal money is intended to 
offset actual expenses incurred by them in the performance 
of their duties. 

I have attended two full meetings of the Board and I find 
that these meetings start at 2 every Wednesday afternoon and 
last until 5.30 and sometimes 6 o'clock. The Board is busi- 
nesslike in its transactions, and expetlites business with great 
facility, passing on more matters than the ordinary board 
would do in a like time. The chairman devotes his entire 
time to his work, and the other commissioners devote quite 
a few hours of their time to their work in addition to the 
time spent at meetings. 

The secretary, who receives $4,000 per year, is a lawyer 
of considerable ability, who devotes his entire time to this 
work, and who with the chairman constitutes the real execu- 
tive force. He has ample work to do, and it is difficult to 
see how his services could be obtained for a smaller sum, 
which is reasonable when the importance of his work is con- 
sidered. 

The assistant secretary has had his pay raised the current 
year from $1,500 to $2,000. This in my judgment is a 
reasonable increase, as he passes opinion on the purchase of 
upwards of $200,000 worth of materials per year, besides 
attending to his other duties. He appears to be a competent 
young man, and has worked his way up in this office from a 
small beginning, I am inclined to think that a position of 
this nature is worth more rather than less money. 

The personnel of the office force seems to be excellent. 
They seem to have plenty of work to do, and I should not 
recommend any cut in this force or in their pay. 



12 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June, 

The reservations and parkways are grouped into seven 
divisions, under and directly administered by six superin- 
tendents, as follows : — 

Blue Hills Division : — 

Blue Hills Reservation and Parkway. 

Neponset River Resen-ation and Parkway. 

Stony Brook Reservation. 

Quincy Shore Reservation. 

Furnace Brook Parkway. 
Middlesex Fells Division : — 

Middlesex Fells ReseiTation and Parkway. 

Mystic Valley Parkway. 

Lynn Fells Parkway; Hart's Hill. 

Alewife Brook. 

Fresh Pond Parkway. 
Revere Beach Division : — 

Revere Beach Reservation and Parkway. 

Revere Beach bath-house. 

Nahant Beach bath-house. 

Nahant Beach Parkway. 

Lynn Shore Reservation. 

Winthrop Shore Reservation. 

Lynn Way. 
Charles River Division : — 

Riverside Section. 

Speedway Section. 

Hemlock Gorge. 
Charles River Basin Division. 
Beaver Brook Division. 
Nantasket Beach Division. 

The superintendent of a division is the executive head of 
his division. The police are under him and so are the fore- 
men and laborers, carpenters, firemen, engineers, employees 
of bath houses, etc. He is generally a captain or lieutenant 
of the Metropolitan Police Department. He may expend 
only such money as is apportioned to his division by the 
Board, and must keep proper books of account for petty re- 
ceipts, for all expenditures and all property in charge, and 
for all the acts of the police and employees assigned to them. 

The highest price superintendent is Herbert W. West of 



1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 13 

Eevere, who receives $45 per week as salary, and a house 
free of rent and other conveniences which are valued at $10 
per week. In my judgment this man is underpaid rather 
than overpaid. He acts as police captain over 32 or 33 men, 
is the executive over the superintendent of the bath-house at 
Revere, which employs a huge force in the summer time. He 
also is over the Lynn bath-house, and I may say that at the 
Revere bath-house they manufacture all of the bathing suits 
used not only at Revere and Nahant but also at Xantasket. 
They also repair them there. In addition to this they run a 
large laundry. Beside that, Charles River Basin, the West 
Boston bridge, which is under the entire jurisdiction of the 
park system, comes under Superintendent West. He is on 
duty all of the time except when he is sleeping, and this is 
accounted for because the house that is furnished to him is in 
the Revere Beach Reservation ; and the park commissioners 
believe it to be an advantage for the superintendent to live 
on the reservation, because it keeps him there and sa\'es time 
in transit to and from his home. It is a responsible position, 
and in this, and in several other instances, the conniiission 
cannot be accused of undue extravagance in paying salaries 
to some of its subordinates holding executive positions. 

The highest price superintendents elsewhere receive $5 a 
day, and the lowest price one, at Beaver Brook, receives 
$24.50 per week. 

The pay of these men is substantially what it has been for 
the past ten years, the aggregate salaries for superintendents 
increasing from $8,936 in 1901 to $10,634 in 1911, although 
their duties have vastly increased. 

Property of Commission. 
The chief property item under the jurisdiction of this 
commission is land, of which there is an acreage of 10.- 
294.77. This amount is divided as follows: — 

Acres. 

Reservations, 9,430.61 

Parkways, 864.16 



14 



METROPOLITAN PARK CO^DIISSIOX. [June. 



The reservations, itemized, are as folloAvs : — 



Blue Hills, . 

Middlesex Fells. 

Xeponset River. 

Charles River. 

Stony Brook. 

Mystic River. 

Revei'e Beach, 

Xantasket Beach 

Beaver Brook. 

Hart's Hill, 

Hemlock Grorg-e, 

Kinir's Beach and Lynn Shore. 

Wiuthivp Shore, 

Quincy Shore. 



The parkway 

Blue Hills. . 
:Middlesex Fells. 
Revere Beach. 
Mystic Valley. 
"West Roxbury. 
Xeponset River. 
Fresh Pond, 
Lynn Fells, . 
Furnace Brook. 
Xahant Beach. 
Lynn Way. . 
\Vinthrop, . 
Alewife Brook. 



itemized, are as follows 



Acres. 

4.906.43 

1.SPS.09 

P"21.flo 

(>73.7(5 

4t>3.72 

2P1.57 

(i7.40 

25.59 

58.33 

22.97 

23.06 

22.89 

16.83 

38.02 

9.430.61 

Acres. 
83.65 

78.66 

127.31 

91.76 

72.37 

74.52 

12.40 

7.63 

89.13 

69.24 

4.98 

5.47 

146.99 

864.16 



The commission has under its jurisdiction 12.7 miles of 
seashore and Ivach holdings and 51.50 miles of river front- 
age, reckoning this frontage as one bank. 

The riverbank frontage is as follows : — 

Miles. 

Charles River 27.56 

Mystic River S.16 

Xeponset River 15.84 



1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 15 

The seashore ami beach holdiiio-s are a:^ follows: — 

Miles. 

Lynn Shore, ......... 1.50 

Naliant Beach, 3.92 

Revere Beach, 2.74 

Winthrop Shore 1.08 

Nantasket Beach, 1.02 

Quincy Shore, 1.81 

12.07 

The hnildiiigs niider the commission are as follnws, aii<l 
number 186 : — 

Division headquarters and sub-stations, stables, garapies, 
workshops, work sheds and work building's, sanitaries, refec- 
tories^ superintendents' and other dwelling houses, band- 
stands, boat-houses, bath-houses, hotels, cafe;^, laundries, 
power-houses and lease<l buildings. 

These buildings are plain bnt substantial structnres. 
Some of the police stations or division headquarters are 
somewhat ornamental, but are not built extravagantly. Even 
the ornamental structure known as the bath-house at Lyrm 
is serviceable, and not by any means too large or roomy. 
The Board in its construction of buildings has been reason- 
ably economical. They are built of dnrable material, gen- 
erally brick or re-enforced concrete, and the maintenance 
charges are very slight. The hotel and cafe was acqnired 
when the I^antasket Beach section became a part of the park 
system in 1800. The l)uildings at ISTantasket are chiefly 
wooden, except those built by the commission itself, which 
are of brick, and they cover a great extent of territory. 

The income from the rentable property at Nantasket 
Beach just about balances the expenditures made necessary 
by wear, tear and upkeep, and although it is not essential for 
the purposes of this report, it is my opinion that the price 
paid for the property at Nantasket Beach was certainly very 
liberal, and in my judgiuent excessive, although this is a 
matter that the Legislature is responsible for and not the 



16 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June, 

Park Commission. Generally speaking, the commission has 
been ver^^ carefnl in the constrnction of its bnildings, for 
thej are especially designed to last for a long time, and of 
such a nature as to incur but little expense for repairs or 
alterations for many years to come, the maiutenance charges 
being limited in the main to cleaning, painting and ordinary 
light repairs. 

The commission has 37 bridges under its control, as 
follows : — 

Drawbridges, . . . . . . , . . .4 

Re-enforced concrete bridges, ....... 8 

Steel bridges, 9 

Wooden bridges, .......... 5 

Foot bridges, 11 

37 

Some of these bridges are of very substantial construction, 
especially the bridge between Cambridge and Boston, which 
was turned over to this commission as a part of the Charles 
River dam property. I recommend that the jurisdiction of 
this bridge, so far as everything but the dam is concerned, 
be taken away from the Park Commission and be treated for 
bridge purposes the same as the other bridges between Cam- 
bridge and Boston. It is an anomalous position to force upon 
a Park Commission jurisdiction over the main traffic bridge 
between Cambridge and Boston, in close proximity to rail- 
way freight sheds, and over which thousands of heavily laden 
wagons and trucks pass each weekday, to say nothing of a 
continuous stream of trolley cars and pedestrians. This ne- 
cessitates the constant presence of a traffic squad of park 
policemen, who, as bridge policemen, are performing labori- 
ous duties that properly belong to the policemen of the city 
of Boston or Cambridge, and whose compensation is much 
larger than the park policemen. This is a matter for the 
Legislature to determine at some time, as it is unfair for the 
metropolitan park district to bear the entire burden of main- 
taining this bridge when it is devoted entirely to commercial 



1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. ' 17 

]nTrposes. It is true that inider the ]n-eseiit metropolitan 
parks apportionment Boston bears .00087 and Cambridge 
.04897 of the total cost of the maintenance of this l)ridge, bnt 
in fairness to the park district Cambridge and Boston, be- 
tween them, should pay the entire cost. 

The commission has nnder its control 74 culverts, 7 dams, 
60 tide-gates, 16 floats and landings, 1,945 catch-basins, 1,345 
street lights, 2.81 miles of seawall, and a police signal system. 

The commission is a mannfacturer of bathing snits, main- 
taining a factory that rnns through the winter in the second 
story of the bath-house at Revere Beach. They do their work 
economically, and I find that the cost of manufacturing jer- 
seys, trunks, stockings and other bathing clothing is ^ess, by a 
considerable amount, than the purchase of the same goods 
under competition in the open market. I commend this par- 
ticular work. They have a modern, up-to-date plant; the 
wages paid the employees are reasonable, the quality of goods 
is excellent and the work done is entirely satisfactory. 

The commission maintains and operates its own laundries, 
the principal duties of which are the cleaning and drying of 
bathing suits. The equipment is modern and first class, and 
the work done seems to be satisfactory. The man in charge 
of the manufacturing at Revere during the winter is also in 
charge of the bath-house during the summer. His salary is 
$1,300 per year, which is not high by any means, considering 
his efficiency and the nature of work, and the large number 
of employees under him. 

The sanitaries number 22, and have a tendency to con- 
tinually increase in number and size, owing to the increasing 
patronage of the reservations. They are well built, clean, 
and kept in first-class condition. 

The work headquarters and stables in some places have 
cost more than is actually necessary for the use to which they 
are put, but the reason for this is entirely satisfactory, as 
structures on the parkways should be built with an eye to the 
aesthetic character of the surroundings, and therefore stable 
yards have been enclosed and small courtyards maintained, 
with this end in view. 



18 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June, 

The commission, it may be said, also maintains its own 
paint and carpenter shops, and does most of its work of this 
nature. 

Cost of Park System. 

The total cost of the metropolitan park system, exclusive 
of appropriations charged to maintenance or other moneys 
credited to maintenance, and constituting w^hat corresponds 
to the capital charges in a private corporation, amounts to 
$18,899,250.96. This amount represents money borrowed, 
with the credit of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts be- 
hind it, and charged to the cities and towns in the metropoli- 
tan park area. It is subdivided as follows : — 

Metropolitan parks loan fund, Series I., . . . $8,982,612 85 

Metropolitan parks loan fund, Series IT., . . 5,093,591 70 

Charies Eiver Basin loan, 4,123,046 41 

Nantasket Beach loan 700.000 00 



$18,899,250 96 



Loan Fund ISfo. 1 originated under chapter 407 of the 
Acts of 1893. and represents the money spent for acquiring 
the reservations and improving them for park purjxjses. Tt 
represents the money paid for land takings, the develop- 
ment of the land afterwards, and the incidental law\ engi- 
neering and architectural expenses, together with the fees 
paid real estate and other experts in settlements of claims 
and in the trial of suits for damages. The Revere Beach 
and ISTahant Beach bath-houses are included in this. 

Loan Fund No. 2 originated under chapter 288 of the 
Acts of 1894, and represents the money spent for boulevards 
and parkways and incidental expenditures similar to those 
above described. 

The loan funds are almost entirely exhausted and will be 
so this current year. 

Until 1900 all expenses of maintenance, interest and sink- 
ing funds were paid out of the loan funds according to the 
requirements of a special statute. This was because a defi- 
nite arrangement to apportion the expenses and repayments 



1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 19 

among the cities and towns in the district was not put into 
effect until 1900. Since that time, by virtue of chapter 419 
of the Acts of 1899, it is provided that in the year 1900 and 
in every fifth year thereafter commissioners be appointed to 
determine and make award of the proportions in which each 
of the cities and towns of the district shall pay to meet the 
expenses of the park system. An apportionment was made 
in 1900, in 1905 and again in 1910. The apportionment 
takes into consideration the maintenance charges and the in- 
terest and sinking fund requirements. In the year 1910 the 
cost under this apportionment for the entire district was as 
follows : — 

Parks $884,169 06 

Boulevards, 214,797 26 

Nantasket, 55,586 09 



$1,154,552 41 



In the apportionment of 1910 there will be added to this 
the charges against the Charles River Dam and Basin. 

The total amount of money asked for last year in the way 
of appropriations was $672,561.90, so that the difference be- 
tween this amount and the apportionment amount represents 
the fixed charges on the district for interest and sinking fund 
requirements. 

One apportionment is made for parks, one for boulevards, 
one for Nantasket Beach, and two different apportionments 
for the Charles River Dam and Basin. 

The itemized statements, showing specifically how the 
loan funds have been spent^ is contained in the commission- 
ers' report for 1910. and I therefore do not a]ipend it here. 

EXPEIS'SE FuxD. 
The expense fund is not contained in the reports of the 
Park Commissioners, other than the mentioning of a few 
gross amounts. I recommend that in future rejwrts of the 
Park Commissioners an itemized statement be printed of the 
expense fund, in order that the public may be informed 



20 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June, 

about it. As it now stands this infonnation can only be ob- 
tained from the books of the commission itself. This is a 
very important matter, as the expense fund in 1910 amounted 
to $88,310.32. 

The expense fund is made up as follows : — 

Reeeii^ts from bath-houses. 

Receipts from rentals. 

Receipts from fines and other police sources. 

Receipts from the sale of buildings and materials. 

The receipts from the bath-houses are used for the repair, 
maintenance and operating expenses of the bath-houses, and 
incidental structures and conveniences. The bath-houses 
have always been self-supporting, a charge being made that 
slightly more than offsets the cost of running them. 

The receipts from rentals are used for repairs and im- 
provements in the buildings from which they have been de- 
rived. 

The receipts from the fines and police sources are generally 
expended for police signal systems and other police expenses 
of an extraordinary nature. 

The receipts from sales are generally expended for such 
matters as might otherwise have been properly paid for out 
of the loans, and are intended to replace capital spent. 

The bath-house receipts for 1910 were as follows: — 

Revere Beach, $36,547 50 

Nantasket Beach, 9,561 05 

Nahant Beach, 6,441 95 



$52,550 50 

The principal receipts from rentals were as follows : — 

Buildings : — 

Blue Hills, $100 00 

Nantasket, 8,600 00 

$8,700 00 

Land : — 

Blue Hills 475 00 



1911. 



HOUSE — No. 1985. 



21 



Houses : — 



Blue Hills, 








. 


$698 00 




Middlesex Fells, 


. 664 60 




Charles River, . 


. 481 40 




Nantasket, 


87 50 










$1,931 50 






Duets : — 






Charles River Basin, 


. 


242 62 


Roller-coaster, etc. : — 






Nantasket, 


. 


1,993 00 


Boat-house sites : — 






Charles Rivei', . 


. $1,024 00 




Blue Hills, 


60 00 




Middlesex Fells, 


10 00 










1,094 00 






Transits : — 






Engineering department, . 




24 00 


Pastures: — 






Blue Hills, 


. $255 00 




Charles River. . 


25 00 


280 00 


Boats : — 




Blue Hills, 




399 40 




$15,139 52 


The receipts from court 


lines, principally autoniobilists 


guilty of overspeeding, were $8,641.40. 




The receipts froui the sa: 


e of material were ])rin(i|)al]y a>^ 


follows : — 






Wood 




$1,507 50 


Grass, 














499 00 


Hoises and sheep. 














335 00 


Loam and sand, 














277 80 


Pipe, 














1,017 19 


Old lumber, 














205 00 


Old metal and rags, . 














210 62 


Lunch stand privileges. 














739 69 


Photographic privilege. 














300 00 


Street railway locations, 














1,813 74 


Steam, Nantasket, 














2,224 30 


Transits, . 














250 00 


Second-hand motor cycles 


> 












420 00 



22 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June, 

From the foregoing it will be seen that the commission 
sells quite a quantity of old material. 

There are many small items, amounting to a few hundred 
dollars all told, that I have not included in the above table, 
and I have itemized it in this report because they are not 
itemized in the commissioners' report, although the expendi- 
tures from the expense fund are all carefully itemized in 
their report, with infinite detail. 

From my inspection of the different places in the park 
system and from looking at their expense books, I would say 
that the local division superintendents are very economical 
in turning into cash everything that is sold. They account 
even for items amounting to but a few cents. 

ApPKOPTlIATTOISrS FOR MAIJN^^TENAiSrCE. 

All comparative statistics given under this head will rep- 
resent the total cost of maintenance in each department, 
whether the same was charged to loan funds or to appropria- 
tions. Prior to this year everything was divided, and it is 
■only by a consolidation of accounts that we get at the real 
cost of everything, from a maintenance standpoint. 



Tlie total appropriations for 1910 were 
The total appropriations asked for 1911 are 



$672,561 96 
685,067 96 



The appropriation items are divided as follows : — 



Reservations, . 
Parkways, 
Nantasket Beach, . 
"Wellington Bridge, 
Charles River Basin (new), 



1900. 

$444,142 96 

194,507 00 

26,900 00 

7,012 00 



$672,561 96 



1911. 

$370,597 96 

189,483 00 

26,500 00 

6,512 00 

91,975 00 

$685,067 96 
672,561 96 



Increase, 



$12,50'6 00 



1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 2a. 

The increased appropriations are as follows : — 

Reservations : — 

General office salaries, . . . $450 00 
Engineering department, . . 2.390 00 
Police department, .... 4,500 00 
Labor, teaming and keep of horses, 6,655 00 
Supplies and miscellaneous ex- 
penses, 300 00 

$14,295 00 



Parkways : — 

General oliftce salaries, . . . $450 00 

Engineering department, . . 2,390 00 

Police, . . . . . . 2,900 00 

Labor, teaming and keep of horses, 8,253 50 

Lighting, 1,032 50 

Water or its equivalent, . . 250 00 
Sui^i^lies and miscellaneous ex- 
penses, 1,100 00 



» 



16,376 00 

Nantasket Beach, police, 2,200 00 

Charles River Basin (new), 91,975 00 



$124,846 00 



The decrease in appropriations is as follows : — 

Reservations : — 

Lighting, $30 00 

Gypsy moth work, . . . 6,810 00 



$6,840 00 

Special appropriations made in 1910 for specific thing's, 

but not made in 1911 : — 
Sanitary, Revere Beach, . . $16,000 00 
Bear Hill Tower, .... 6,000 00 

Damage by storm 59,000 00 

81,000 00 

Parkways, gypsy moth work, ..... 1,400 00 

Special appropriation made in 1910 for specific things, 

but not made in 1911 : — 
Resurfacing Blue Hills, . . . $5,000 00 

Sidewalks, Middlesex Fells, . . 5.000 00 

Resurfacing Mystic valley, . . 10.000 00 

20,000 00 



24 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June, 

Naiitasket Beach, special appropriations made in 1910 
for specific things, but not made in 1911 : — 

Incinerator, $1,000 00 

Painting, 1,600 00 

• $2,600 00 



Wellington Bridge, installation motor, 1910, . . 500 00 



$112,340 00 



Increase 1911 over 1910, $124,846 00 

Decrease 1911 over 1910, 112,340 00 



Net increase, $12,506 00 

From the above table it will be noted that there would have 
been a decrease of almost $80,000 in the cost of the mainte- 
nance of the park system in 1911, as compared with 1910, 
had it not been for the burden imposed for the first time in 
the shape of the diaries River Dam^ which means a new in- 
crease of $91,975 for maintenance, and this will be a perma- 
nent addition. 

CoMMissiois^EES^ Salaries. 

The salaries of the commissioners remain the same in 
1911 as in 1910, the total amount asked for being $(3,900, 
itemized as follows : — 

Chairman of the Board $4,500 00 

Four commissioners, each $600, ..... 2,400 00 



$6,900 00 



This compensation has remained unchanged since it was, 
fixed by statute and agreed upon in 1900. By the system 
of bookkeeping followed by the commission, one-half of 'rhis 
is charged to reservations and one-half to parkways, I have 
already commented on these salaries aiid reconMncnd no re- 
duction in them. 



1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 25 

General Office Salaries. 

The increase in 1911 over 1910 is $900, the reason for 
this increase being the added burden of the Charles River 
Basin, which entails extra work. The total salaries asked 
for in the general office this year amount to $13,690. This 
is the total expense for clerks, messengers, bookkeepers, ste- 
nographers, purchasing agent, paymaster and telephone oper- 
ator. This amonnt has increased but very little in ten years, 
the amount in 1901 being $11,800, It has varied a few 
hundred dollars from year to year, and is now less than what 
it was in 1907, when the salaries jiaid were $14,270. 

The salaries paid are not excessive, considering the W(irk 
done. The paymaster receives $1,200 a year, and is busy 
every weekday, and in the summer time is compelled occa- 
sionally to work overtime. The number of employees at dif- 
ferent times aggregates more than 1,000, and a large num- 
ber of them are permanently employed. In order to ]iay 
them he is compelled to travel about the entire district. 

The first clerk, or what I might call the head bookkee]ier 
and head of the office, receives $1,200 per year, and has been 
in the employ of the commission since 1893. The second 
clerk receives $1,150 per year, and has been em]doyed since 
1895. The other clerks and stenographers are ]iaid as fol- 
lows: one at $780 per year, one at $000, six at $000. 

These salaries, in my judgment, are reasonable, and as a 
matter of fact are probably less, in ]n-oportion to the volu.me 
of work done, than any department of the State. This is 
accounted for in part by the fact that most of the office force 
are women. 

Extra Clerical Assistance. 

The amount asked for in 1911 is $500, the same as in 
1910. This item represents a total charge of $1,000, one- 
half being credited to reservations and one-half to narkways. 
It is a permanent charge due to the great I'ush of work in 
the summer time, when the bath-houses are in full overatioii, 
with their several hundred em]doyec's and attejulants. 



26 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June, 

General Office Supplies and Miscellaneous Expenses. 
The amount asked for is $13,600, the same as in 1910. 
The principal items under this head are as follows : — 

Rent, lighting and care of offices, $6,000 00 

Telephones, 1,650 00 

Stationery and printing, ....... 1,300 00 

Annual report, . 1,060 00 

Travelling expenses, 770 00 

Postage, 720 00 

Maps and books, 400 00 

Filing cabinets, cards, etc., 370 00 

There are many smaller items, like typewriter supplies, 
office repairs, recording of papers, towel supply, in addition. 

The rent represents a five-year lease, together with the 
charge for care of offices and of cost of lighting the same. 
The offices are located in the Congregational Building, 14 
Beacon Street, and comprise the entire fifth floor, containing 
4,579 square feet, with 398 square feet on the fourth floor. 
In addition to this they have considerable corridor space on 
the fifth floor. This charge does not appear to be excessive. 

Under the telephone item is charged the switchboard and 
telephone operator, who receives $468 per year. 

The travelling expenses are accounted for by the vast area 
of the system that necessitates the use of public conveyances. 
It is also necessary at times to hire carriages. It is difficult 
to see how any reduction can be made in this item. 

There are various items charged to this account, like a safe 
purchased last year and other material, that aggregate to a 
substantial total, but still not excessive under the circum- 
stances. 

Law Depaetiment. 

This department will no longer appear as a separate item, 
for on the first of this year Mr. Woodbury, the old secretary, 
resigned, and his place was taken by Mr. Rogers, who merged 
his legal duties with his new position as secretary of the 
Board. The item appears in the estimate this year because 
it was given to the printer before the old secretary resigned. 



1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 27 

This item called for $4,280 per year, $3,500 representing 
the salary of Mr. Rogers and $780 the salary of Miss Noble, 
who acted as stenographer and clerk for him. Miss Xoble 
will still continue to act in the office, as the legal work re- 
quires a clerk of experience, there being thousands of deeds 
and memoranda of land takings and other data requiring it. 
Her salary will in the future be credited to general office 
salary. 

Band Concerts. 

This is a fixed appropriation of $25,000 made by special 
act of the Legislature, and under the provisions of the act 
free band concerts are given every day, after July 3d, except 
Mondays, until Labor Day, at Revere Beach and Xantasket 
Beach, both in the afternoon and evening. Concerts are also 
given at various places all over the reservation, and at fre- 
quent intervals. All told, there are over 300 concerts each 
year, and the price paid therefor is much less than the price 
paid for similar music by the city of Boston. 

Labor, Teaming and Keep of Horses. 

This item is very large and calls for $185,063 for 1!)11 as 
against $150,058 for 1910. The difference is chiefly ac- 
counted for by an additional appropriation for Charles River 
Basin of $20,100. 

This item includes the salaries of the superintendents, of 
the different divisions, and all labor, teams and cost of keep 
of horses and automobiles. 

The increase has been enormous during the past ten years. 
being only $5Y,051 in 1901. The commissioners account 
for this large increase, first from the fact that as the reserva- 
tions were gradually put into condition for park purposes 
there has been an immense amount of work necessary to keep 
the system in good condition. The wear and tear on the 
roads is enormous, due chiefly to increased automobile travel. 
The underbrush must be removed in the larger areas, and all 
this entails the employment of a large body of laborers. Sec- 
ond, in 1901 the rate of wages was $1.80 per day for each 
laborer; in 1911 it is $2. In 1901, the working day was 



28 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June, 

nine hours, while now it is eight hours. This is all matter 
of statute, which all public bodies must follow. The result 
is that 70 men employed in 1901 at a cost of $37,800, work- 
ing nine hours a day at the rate of $1.80 per day, repre- 
sented an amount of work that would now cost $52,500. 
This matter will be relatively more expensive if the Legisla- 
ture increases the pay of laborers to $2.25 per day, as con- 
templated seriously now. 

There are 46 horses under the control of the commission, 
some of them doing police duty and therefore of an excep- 
tionally good breed. The others are devoted to the ordinary 
work. The prices paid for hay and grain and horse supplies 
are not excessive, and no serious criticism can be made about 
the cost of the horse item. 

The system of employing labor is to keep a large permanent 
force of laborers always on hand, as there is a large amount 
of work to be done both winter and summer. During the 
summer time, however^ a large number of laborers are taken 
on as occasion warrants, some of them working but a few 
days and some for the entire summer. 

The efficiency of the labor employed has been to me a 
most difficult problem. I find on the one hand a criticism 
that quite a few of the permanent force of laborers are not 
overburdened with work during the winter season, and that 
in general they could work harder than they now do. On 
the other hand, the laborers themselves and their friends 
believe them to be much harder worked than are the citv 
laborers in adjoining cities and towns. As compared with 
the city of Boston. I l>elieve this to be true, and from ]^er-. 
sonal observation, both on the part of myself and assistants, 
I believe that in some sections, at least, of the park area these 
men do a reasonable day's work. 

This item does not include the employees of the gy]isy 
moth work, but are men who are engaged in the repair of 
the roads, cleaning up the brush and doing the labor incident 
to park work. 

A11 work of an ordinary nature is done by the ]iark force 
directly under the direction of the division superintendent, 
and, in the case of the large division, under the supervision 



1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 29 

of a foreman. If the work is of an important nature, re- 
quiring technical skill, the engineering force of the Park 
Commission is called on for aid, and the work is then super- 
vised by the chief engineer or hv one of his assistants. 

The verv important work and a large part of the construc- 
tion work, or work in the nature of new construction, is let 
out to contractors, and the job given to the lowest bidder. 
For the bulk of the work done now, however, the regular 
force of laborers is employed. It is undeniable that the roads 
are now subjected to a terrific wear and tear by reason of the 
constantly increasing automobile traffic. So, too, the average 
attendance on the reservations themselves has jumped ahead 
by leaps and bounds, so that the bulk of the increase in the 
labor item is readily accounted for. 

I recommend, however, that instead of an allowance of 
$185,063 being made for labor, teaming and keep of horses 
only $175,000 be allowed. This will take into consideration 
the $20,100 increase due to Charles River Basin, and at the 
same time will allow practically $5,000 more than in 1910. 
I do this because it is my belief that the labor item has a 
constant tendency to grow larger and lai'ger in an almost im- 
perceptible way, and because when the force is once increased 
it is almost never reduced. This reduction w'ill not be a 
hardship, for the chief saving can be made during the winter, 
and by doing away with idleness. This will effect a net sav- 
ing of $10,063. 

Wateeixg or its Equivalent. 

This item calls for an appropriation of $37,200 for 1911, 
as against $36,950 for 1910. As a matter of fact, there is 
very little street watering done at the present time in the 
park system. Instead, the surface of the road is treated by 
calcium chloride, tarvia, asphalt oil, liquid asphalt, asphalto- 
lene, and other tar and oil products. This not only keeps 
the dust down, but is a surface treatment that is absolutely 
necessary to preserve the roads when they are subjected to 
harsh automobile travel. The cost of doing this seems to be 
reasonable, and I must commend the commission for the ad- 
mirable condition of its roads, which are on a par with any 
in this part of the country. This excellence of road mainte- 



30 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June, 

nance has been the means of attracting a large number of 
automobilists to the park roads, and this accounts for the 
great increase in this item, which in 1901 was $10,750. 
This, coupled with the increased number of boulevards and 
other roads, accounts for the large increase. I recommend 
no reduction this year. 

Supplies and Miscellaneous Expenses. 
This item calls for $29,400 in 1911, as against $28,000 
in 1910. It includes the general supplies, like fuel, tele- 
phones, water rates, lighting and the miscellaneous expenses 
that are charged against the different divisions. Each divi- 
sion keeps its own books on these matters, and, in general, it 
may be said that all the local expenses come under this head. 
I recommend no reduction. 

Extermination of Gypsy and Brown-tail Moths. 

This appropriation has been very large the past few years, 
and especially since 1906, although it has decreased very ma- 
terially the past three years. Up to 1903 this work was done 
by the Commonwealth, and no charge was made against the 
park funds for doing it. The appropriations in 1903 
amounted to but $5,500, and in 1904 to $9,500. This was 
clearly shortsightedness, and as the same policy was pursued 
elsewhere in the Commonweath the gypsy and brown-tail 
moths increased to such an extent as to completely defoliate 
the Middlesex Fells and the park section located to the 
north of Boston. This necessitated heroic measures, and the 
amount was materially increased, so that in 1905 the com- 
mission had $27,000 to work with. From 1906 onward the 
work has been done on a more scientific basis, and immense 
sums of money have been spent to rid the reservations of this 
pest, as will appear by the following table : — 

1906, $116,200 00 

1907, 119.400 00 

1908 100,000 00 

1909, . 108,350 GO 

1910, 87,100 00 

1911, 78,890 00 



1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 31 

It is clearly apparent that the Park Commission bore more 
than its share of this work because of the fact that the moths 
started in close proximity to Middlesex Fells. It is claimed, 
however, by the commission that they now have the moths 
and other insect pests, like the elm-tree beetle and th(; San 
Jose scale, under complete control. 

The appearance of the trees and foliage in the reservations 
is excellent, and gives every appearance of being carefully 
looked out after. The commission has a large outfit to fight 
the pests, and their carts from Avhich they pniiip have a 
radius of action of 1,000 feet. This enables them to work to 
great advantage from the roads, and with such a long line of 
hose there are but few sections in the entire park system in- 
accessible. For this reason any comparison of the cost of the 
work done with similar work performed by the State For- 
ester is unfair^ on account of the greater difficulties attend- 
ant upon attempted moth extermination in the wilder and 
more isolated sections of the State. It is manifestly a dif- 
ferent proposition to spray trees largely from the road in 
reservations where roads are common than it is in vast tracts 
of forest where only foot-paths and trails exist. 

So, too, thp commission, from an aesthetic standpoint, fol- 
lowing the opinion of landscape architects, has reduced the 
undergrowth, brush and weeds, to great advantage to them- 
selves. This renders their work easier than in ]ilaces that 
are practically impassable. 

There has been a great improvement in the methods and 
apparatus used in the past few years, and the men are more 
experienced. The result has been a decided decrease in ex- 
pense, and the outlay, I am informed, should be steadily re- 
duced in each year to come. As the work already done has 
greatly benefited the tree growth, and as the commis\^ion ap- 
parently have this work well in hand, and as they have made 
a decided reduction in their appropriations, both in 1910 and 
1911, I recommend no further reduction than that asked for 
by the commission. 



32 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June, 

Nantasket Beach. 

This item calls for $26,500 in 1911, as against $20,900 in 
1910. The reduction of $400, which is credited to mainte- 
nance, is, however, not a real reduction, for in 1910 the ap- 
jjropriation called for the construction of an incinerator at a 
cost of $1,000, to hurn rubbish, and a special charge of $1,600 
for painting. There has been a real increase, instead, of 
$2,200 for police service. The police force here consists of a 
sergeant and thirteen men in summer, and a sergeant and six 
men in winter. The necessity for this increase of $2,200 is 
not entirely clear to me, for it seems as though the Metro- 
politan Park Commission was doing considerable police work 
that should be attended to by the town of Hull, especially, 
and in part by Cohasset and Hingham. 

There is a large summer colony in this vicinity, and as the 
town of Hull permits the sale of intoxicating liquor there are 
numerous disorderly and drunken persons who find their way 
to the park reservation ; and of the arrests that are made in 
this vicinity the bulk of the offenders are incarcerated in the 
metropolitan lock-up, and not in those of the local towns, 
although the whole of the Nantasket Beach Reservation occu- 
pies but 25.59 acres, and the shore line is but 1.02 miles. 

In my judgment this appropriation for police should either 
be materially cut do^vn, and the police force diminished, or 
the town of Hull should bear at least $5,000 of this police 
expense, with a still further amount if the pressure of police 
business warrants. 

Before l^antasket Beach was acquired by the act of 1899, 
the town of Hull was compelled to bear the entire cost of 
the policing of l^antasket Beach, and Cohasset and Hingham 
took care of the overflow. So, too, the town of Hull has 
saved a great deal of money in street lighting, as the light- 
ing on the beach strip is borne by the commission. It is 
true that Hull gained some benefit, previously, from the tax- 
able income of ike hotel, cafe and other beach properties, 
but to-day it is an absurdity to only tax Hull for less than 
one four-hundredth of the cost of maintaining ISTantasket 



1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 33 

Beach, when the city of Boston is paying a tax for the same 
thing of almost 61 per cent. In other words, Boston is pay- 
ing in taxes for the maintenance of IN^antasket Beach Reser- 
vation this year $16,103.52, while Hull is paying $63.60. 
Even the city of Cambridge is paying twenty times as much 
as Hull. 

This recommendation is apparently drastic on Hull, but 
inasmuch as the entire ISTantasket steamboat traffic is dumped 
on the metropolitan park property, and as the chief amuse- 
ment enterprises, which pay large sums in taxes to Hull, 
are located in close proximity to the reservation, and as 
the very policing itself gives a feeling of security to women 
and children, the growth of the town of Hull has been facili- 
tated and its taxable income greatly increased. It also 
receives the benefit of the licenses for the sale of alcoholic 
liquor, which is one of the chief causes of the extra policing, 
while the Park Commission receives none of this license 
money whatsoever. 

The only argument that can be used against Hull paying 
for extra policing is the fact that Hull^ in common with the 
other cities and towns in the metropolitan park area, pays 
a tax for the maintenance of the whole park system, and for 
interest and sinking fund requirements on the bonds issued 
for the same. This tax that Hull pays amounted in 1910 
to $2,354.19, and, with the addition of the Charles River 
Basin, Hull this year will pay between $2,600 and $2,700. 
The total tax income in Hull is about $130,000 per annum, 
so that practically 2 per cent, of the tax income of Hull 
goes to the support of the metropolitan park system. 

This argument is met by the fact that Boston for the year 
1911 will be assessed for its share of the metropolitan assess- 
ment, including Charles River Basin, a total sum in ex- 
cess of $800,000, which is 2% per cent, of the total tax 
income. 

As a matter of f ?ic+^ HvP is a special beneficiary by reason 
of the ^antasket Rci ' ^ ing. She ei'iiploys but four po- 
licemen during th id but eleven during the busiest 
time of the summ* >licen.ien make but few arrests. 



34 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June, 

and the chief burden falls on the fourteen patrolmen of the 
metropolitan park system. 

The park system, in strict theory, should confine its police 
duties to its small area, and should not be compelled to do the 
bulk of the police work for Hull. Hull will suffer no par- 
ticular hardship, for her citizens make free use of the ad- 
mirable toilet and sanitary facilities of the park system, and 
the town in this respect is saved much money by not being 
compelled to maintain such facilities itself. 

Wellington Bridge Maintenance. 

This bridge is a part of an old turnpike road that was 
put under control of the park system in 1904, under a statute 
that provided that the Park Commission pay one-half of its 
cost and the local cities and towns pay the other half. The 
one-half that the park system must pay in 1911 is $6,512, 
which is $500 less than in 1910. The reason for the extra 
expense in 1910 was the cost of a motor that was installed 
at that time. 

It is a natural inquiry as to why it should cost $13,024 
to maintain Wellington Bridge, as the water travel is very 
light through there, but the answer is that it is a navigable 
stream that is spanned, and therefore provision must be 
made to open the bridge if necessary at any hour of the day 
or night. This necessitates three shifts of drav^tenders and 
employees, for the State law will not permit them to work 
more than eight hours per day. The men, as a matter of 
fact, do but very little work, except for a period of about 
four hours each twenty-four, but the law being as it is, no 
reduction in this item can be recommended. 

Mateer Pension. 
This is a fixed charge each year upon the reservation 
maintenance fund, and was provided for by special act of 
the Legislature to provide an income for the mother and 
young child of a brave policeman who lost his life while 
rescuing others from drowning. 



1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 35 

Charles River Basin. 

The basin was handled, nntil 1910, by a special commis- 
sion of its own. It was then transferred to the Park Com- 
mission. This enterprise of itself is of large size, and 
represents a bond issne of $4,125,000. Until within a few 
months the work done was in the natnre of constrnetion work, 
and not maintenance, so that comparisons from a mainte- 
nance standpoint cannot be made. It is nndeniable that 
there was a surplus of employees in this department under 
the old commission, and that the executive force drew con- 
siderable money for doing very little work. This condition 
of aifairs, however, I believe to have been done away Avith by 
the Park Commission. 

This item calls for an ex]ienditure of $91,07.1 for 1911 
for maintenance. This is a large sum of money, but it seems 
to be a necessary expense. The public do not patronize this 
basin to any appreciable extent, and it would appear that a 
vast sum of money has been spent in a way that does not 
appeal to the mass of the people. It is a legacy, however, 
that the Park Commission inherited, and they must take 
conditions as they find them. 

For the current year the maintenance charges can at best 
be only approximated, and I do not recommend any reduction 
at this time, although I believe that conditions here could be 
carefully studied during the coming year to advantage. 

The chief charge is for police and labor. The labor charge 
I do not believe to be excessive. In fact, from personal ob- 
servation on the part of myself and assistants we believe the 
laborers to earn all the money they receive. The police item 
is very important, on account of the dangerous condition of 
the river during the winter time, and because Boston and 
Cambridge are now relieved from doing police duty in this 
section. 

The construction work is not entirely done, but will be 
practically finished this summer, and then the problem of 
maintenance will be the entire problem. 

Although not strictly within the province of this investiga- 



36 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June, 

tion, I call your attention to the fact that the provisions of 
the civil service law do not apply to the employees at the 
Charles River Basin, and it would seem to be a subject to be 
inquired into. The good of the service would seem to de- 
mand that these employees be now placed on the civil service 
list. If the civil service meaiis anything, and is right in 
theory, an exception cannot be made in this instance. 

The Park Commission has shown that it has a firm grasp 
upon the importance of the situation here, and under the 
circumstances, before making an exhaustive report on the 
subject of the Charles River Basin, I recommend that they 
be allowed to carry into execution the plans that they have 
been formulating. I would recommend that if possible they 
popularize the use of this basin, and devise some way by 
which the common peoj^le may avail themselves of this 
splendid open space, that now seems to be an excellent back- 
yard for Beacon Street and an excellent rowing place for a 
few. 

Police. 

This item is a very important one and the appropriations 
for 1911 call for $173,700, as against $132,600 for 1910. 
The bulk of this increase is accounted for b}'' the addition 
■of Charles River Basin, which adds $31,500 that was not 
previously included. The increase in Nantasket is $2,200 ; 
in the parkways, $2,900, and in the reservations $4,500 
over 1910. 

The charge for policing has practically quadrupled in ten 
years. The charge against the reservations in 1901 was 
$33,600; in 1911, $87,200 is asked for. The charge against 
the boulevards in 1901 was $12,000; in 1911, $40,000 is 
asked. The bulk of the increase in the number of police- 
men can be readily accounted for by the growth of the park 
system, both in increase of area and in use by the general 
public. There were 40 policemen employed in 1901, and 
110 in 1910. The increase has been gradual, except in 
1910, when 25 were added, on account of Charles River 
Basin. 

Increase in Pay. — - A considerable increase must be at- 



1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 37 

tributed to the fact that the policemen have had their pay 
increased by legislative enactment from 50 cents to 75 cents 
per man per day. On the average, this amounts to an in- 
crease of over 20 per cent. The men have also, by statute, 
been allowed one day off in thirty, in addition to their regu- 
lar vacations. This means an increase of over- 7 per cent. 

It should be noted that this has caused an increase not 
only in the money paid for police maintenance but also in 
the number of men employed. 

Under police expense is included the cost of the signal 
systems and police telephones, also the cost of uniforms and 
equipment. 

The personnel of the force in the main seems to be ex- 
cellent and the mental caliber of the men high. They are 
apparently well trained for their chosen work and are some- 
what in the nature of a miniature army. This leads up to 
the interesting question of whether the entire force should 
be retained all the year round, or whether part should be 
retained during the quiet winter months and an auxiliary 
force in addition during the summer. 

In the early years a permanent force, in the true sense 
of the word, was not retained. A small number of men 
was employed during the winter and a large number taken 
on during the summer. The commissioners claim that there 
was great difficulty under this system in retaining good men 
and in obtaining good men when required. They also state 
that the amount of police force required in the winter grad- 
ually increased by reason of the increased use of ponds and 
rivers for skating, and the use of the roads for sleighing, 
and because the automobiles use the roads almost the entire 
year. The provision for one day off in thirty also made a 
considerable difference, because the men do not get this day 
off during the busy summer months, but have them bunched 
together during the winter. The vacations also take place 
during the late fall and early winter, and each of the force 
is allowed two weeks. 

It is also stated that the men are drilled and taught 
revolver practice under a military officer, and emergency 



38 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June, 

instruction under a physician. Quite a number of the men 
act as painters, carpenters, and perform lines of manual 
labor other than police work during the winter time. The 
men have agreed to this because their hours are unlimited 
as policemen, whereas as mechanics they work only eight 
hours a day and six days per week. The question of deter- 
mining how many policemen, if any, should be laid off 
during the winter months has been more or less perplexing 
to me. I find that a large force is required at Revere dur- 
ing the summer, and that only a nominal force is required 
during the winter; the same thing is true, to a less extent, 
of Nantasket. The men are shifted in the fall to some of 
the reservations where more people go than during the sum- 
mer, but during the winter it seems to me that there is a 
surplus of men. 

I am reluctant to recommend too sweeping a reduction in 
the size of the winter force, not only because of the reasons 
above given, but because I believe the men to be greatly 
overworked on many days during the summer, and it is 
only fair that this matter be taken into consideration. 

Reduction of Force. — I recommend, therefore, a reduc- 
tion of $10,000 in the total police appropriations for 1911, 
this reduction not to include my recommendation about 
l^antasket Beach or the bridge at Charles River Dam. If 
this reduction be made I recommend that the Park Commis- 
sion u]^]iortion their ap]3ropriations over the parks and boule- 
vards in a way that will seem proper. I also recommend that 
the number of men to be laid off by them be left entirely 
to the discretion of the commission, both as to when and 
how, and whom. From my examination it would appear 
that the reservations could stand a diminution in the size of 
the police force during the winter. 

Special Automohile Tax or License. — I recommend that 
a special license be taken out by all automobiles desiring to 
use the roads under the control of the Metropolitan Park 
Commission, or the local park roads under the control of 
the cities and towns in the metropolitan park area. I rec- 
ommend that this annual license fee be $5 in the case of 



1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 39 

motor vehicles of 30 horse power or less, and $10 where the 
horse power is greater than this. 

This should yield an annual revenue of at least $150,000, 
there being almost 32,000 automobiles in the State at the 
present time, a large i)ercentage of which are frequent users 
of our park area. 

licasons for Liccit.'^e. — The park roads were originally de- 
signed for horse-drawn vehicles, and in the early days were 
not subjected to a very heavy traffic. The result was that 
the wear and tear upon the park roads was so light that prior 
to and including 190,5 the average cost of the maintenance of 
all formal roads constructed by the commission and of the 
roads in its care and control was 1.7 cents per square yard 
per year. 

In 100(3 the effects of automobile traffic began to show, and 
the work of maintenance included some tar surfacing. This 
brought the cost of maintenance for 1006 to 2.2 cents per 
square yard for the year. 

In 190Y, with the increased number of automobiles, the 
cost went up to 2.6 cents per square yard. 

Averaging 1009 and 1910 together, and including therein 
repair and maintenance, reconstruction, resurfacing and all 
the expenses made necessary by a most extraordinary auto- 
mobile traffic, the average cost amounted for the parkways 
and formal roads to 8.726 cents per square yard, this item 
including labor and material. 

Extraordinary Automobile Traffic on Parkirays. — There 
have been weeks during the summer when over 60,000 
vehicles have passed over the metropolitan parkways and 
roads. Of this number 74 per cent, have been automobiles 
and 26 j^er cent, horse-drawn vehicles. 

This, however, is very misleading, for these statistics in- 
clude highways and old turnpike roads now ]iart of the 
23ark system for brief stretches, and therefore used for com- 
mercial travel. The real test, therefore, comes on the use 
of the park roads that are used for pleasure riding. 

Eevere Beach Parkway is a typical example. This park- 
Avay runs from Middlesex Fells to the border of Lynn, and 



40 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June, 

is 514 miles in length. I had statistics carefully compiled 
regarding this parkway on Thursday, May 18, 1911, and I 
found that the following vehicles passed over Wellington 
Bridge and came or went via the Revere Beach Parkway : — 

Horse-drawn vehicles, ........ 11 

Automobiles, 867 

These figures were taken between the hours of 7 a.m. and 

P.M. 

This means that 70 automobiles passed over this parkway 
on that day to every one horse-driven vehicle. 

On the same day the following vehicles came to or from the 
Revere Beach Parkway and passed through the Middlesex 
Fells Parkway : — 

Hoi-se-drawii vehicles, ........ 15 

Automobiles, 456 

On the same day there was the following traffic over 
San o us River Bridge, 5 miles from where the previous figures 
were taken : — 

Horse-drawn vehicles, ........ 43 

Automobiles, .......... 1,185 

.the ratio here being 29 to 1. 

On Sunday, May 21, 1911, there was the following traffic 
over Saugus River Bridge : — 

Horse-drawn vehicles, ........ 167 

Automobiles, .......... 3.867 

a ratio of 24 to 1. 

There are very few places in the park system where the 
proportion of automobiles as to horse-drawn vehicles is not 
at least 4 to 1. There can be only one interpretation from 
these figures. Many of our park roads and boulevards, con- 
structed at an expense running into the millions, are, in 
practice, thoroughfares devoted almost entirely to the use of 



1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 41 

aiitomobilists. Therefore, why should not the automobilists 
pay a large j^art of the cost. Pedestrians in some sections 
are scarcely seen, and what few horse-driven vehicles pass 
over the road do InU little harm. The touring car not only 
damages the roadbed itself, but for the protection of Avomeii 
and children, and, indeed grown-up men, a large squad o£ 
])olicemen is required at every intersecting street of any 
importance, so that the chief increase in the metropolitan 
police system can be directly attributed to the increased use 
of the automobile. There are 34 policemen at Revere Beach 
during the sunmier, and their chief duty is the regulation of 
the automobile traffic in the roadways. All through the park 
system the officers are compelled to keep a sharp lookout in 
order to prevent overspeeding, and it is my opinion that if 
the automobile was not in existence the police bill for the 
metropolitan system would be from $40,000 to $50,000 less. 

Tn the matter of street lighting the same thing is true. 
Many thoroughfares located in isolated sections would bt, 
unfrequented were it not for the automobiles. This necessi- 
tates an extra cost for lighting, as the automobilists are diifer-^ 
cut from the old-fashioned traveller, in "that they use the 
park roads at all hours of the day and night. 

The regular park boulevard has been converted into an 
aristocratic highway, and the luiblic is paying the bills. 
The parks belong to all of the people, and it is unfair that 
our wealthy citizens, fortunate enough to own automobiles, 
should permit this burden to fall almost entirely upon the 
people. 

This license fee will yield enough revenue to offset a large 
])art of the expense due directly to the automobile. This 
expense cannot be computed merely from the cost of main- 
taining, policing and lighting these roads, for if there be 
boulevards costing $5,000,000 to build, the ordinary income 
of that $5,000,000, invested at 31/2 per cent, interest, would 
yield $175,000 per year. The automobilists should not be 
expected to pay the entire burden of the boulevards, but they 
should pay a reasonable proportion. 

Tf the Legislature will authorize the issuance of these 



42 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June, 

licenses, the Park Commission will then be in a position to 
popularize its system in a way never thought possible by 
them, for by the expenditure of a few extra thousand dollars 
each year it will be possible to reduce the price of bathing 
at the beaches to 15 cents, and also to make special provision 
during certain hours for free bathing privileges to the poor, 
and especially to the women and children. As it is now, 
the bath-houses run by the commission are self-supporting; 
the people using them pay for the cost of maintenance. This 
is an added reason why the automobilists who entirely 
monopolize Revere Beach Parkway for vehicular purposes 
should be treated the same as those who use the bath-houses. 

State Ilighivays in Metropolitan District. — These high- 
ways are not now under control of the Park Commission. 
T recommend, however, for the purpose of better carrying 
out the licensing idea, that they all be placed under the con- 
trol of the Park Commission. Their mileage in the district 
is 43.64; their cost was $730,228.81. They are now under 
the control of authorities who do not commence to keep them 
in as good condition as the park roads are kept. It would 
not be necessary to treat them as boulevards but rather as 
first-class roads. If this were done it would prevent friction 
in the metropolitan area, and do away with any suggestion 
of unfairness such as at present exists. The automobile tax 
collected at the present time by the Highway Commission is 
of no benefit to the Metropolitan Park Commission, or to 
the local parkways in the metropolitan areas, including the 
city of Boston, and although these roads are used infinitel.y 
more than the State highways, they get nothing whatsoever 
from the motor fund tax now collected from automobilists, 
which last year amounted to the large total of $374,789.94. 

It is true that the State itself at the present time bears 
one-half of the cost of the boulevards, but this in no way af- 
fects the principle that the metropolitan district should re- 
ceive something from the automobile, for the rest of the State 
receives it all, although they do not pay as much locally for 
their roads as what we do here. 

Pro Fata Division of License Fees. — I suggest that the 



1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 43 

licenge fees be distributed on a pro rata basis, to be arrived 
at in an impartial manner, among the cities and towns having 
parkways in this district, as well as to the Metropolitan Park 
Commission. This will treat the citv of Boston and other 
places fairly. It will also be of great service, because no 
automobile could conceivably operate on any kind of a decent 
road in the entire metropolitan area for any length of time 
without using the park roads. 

The automobile traffic of northeastern United States dur- 
ing the summer time is concentrated in the vicinity of Bos- 
ton. The splendid roads and our beautiful suburbs are the 
magnet. If it is worth the while of thousands of automobile 
tourists to use our splendid roads they should i^ay for the 
privilege. 

The fairness of my argument should be a]:»parent when it 
is noted that the State Highway Commission at the present 
time collects a large tax for the benefit of the State high- 
ways, although those State highways, by their own statistics, 
are not used anywhere near as much by the automobiles as 
are the roads in the metropolitan district. The following 
table will demonstrate this conclusively : — 

Percentage of Automobiles. 
State highways, August, 42 per cent.; October, 35 per cent. 
Boston parks, August, 77 per cent.; October, 73 per cent. 
Metropolitan parks, August, 74 per cent.; October, 71 per cent. 
Boulevards, May, 1911, Revere, 98 per cent. 
City of Newton, October, 68 per cent. 

Therefore, if the argument that the State Highway Com- 
mission used had an effect on the Legislature, these com- 
parative facts should be more convincing. 

There is a strong feeling in the community that our ]:»arks 
exist chiefly for the benefit of our well-to-do citizens. This 
has been by all odds the one criticism that I have heard above 
all others. Can it be wondered at when they get most of the 
privileges of the system, without ]iaying any more therefor 
than the poor man, who tramps about on foot, or who takes 
the trollev to the outskirts of a reservation ? The surest way 



44 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June, 

of proving to the people that they are not being unjustly 
treated is to place the burdens of the boulevards upon the 
people who use them. 

Lighting. 

This requires an increasingly larger sum each year, the 
amount for 1911 being $47,122. This is an increase of 
$6,000 over the year before, on account of Charles River 
Basin. This is about three times the amount required in 
1901, although the cost per light has been reduced slightly 
since then. 

In 1908 the number of lights was reduced because of a 
smaller appropriation made that year, but the experiment 
was not satisfactory; the public protes1:ed, and the full num- 
ber of lights was restored in the appropriation of 1909. 

I do not recommend a reduction in the number of lights. 
1 do recommend, however, a careful study of the whole plan 
of lighting in the metropolitan park area, keeping the fol- 
lowing particularly in mind : — 

(1) Should all of the lights burn all night long in the 
summer ? 

(2) Shou^l all of the lights bum all night long in the 
winter ? 

(8) Should some sections be lighted at all during the 
winter ? 

(4) Would not electricity and a moonlight schedule be 
satisfactory in some sections ? 

(5) Should the lights in the Charles River Basin burn all 
night ? 

A large part of the system is lighted by the Welsbach 
Company, with its system of self-generating lamps. This 
system has one gTeat advantage because of its ornamental iron 
posts, without any overhanging wires to mar the aesthetic ap- 
pearance of the boulevards. It is also reasonably cheap in 
price. The company have given great satisfaction to the 
commission, and at times they have not been satisfied with 
electric light service rendered to them. 

I recommend a reduction in lighting of $5,000. This can 



1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 45 

be done without any inconvenience to the public and without 
lessening the nnndjer of lights in the park system. It is 
doubtful, however, if this amount can be saved in 1911. be- 
cause almost the entire system is equipped with the Welsbaeh 
system and their contract runs until Dec. 1, 1911. When a 
new contract is made a saving can be effected by not burning 
the lights at all during the winter in the isolated sections. 
■ As it is now, in places like Quiney Shore, Eevere Beach, and, 
in fact, the whole shore line, the lights are burned all night 
long, although at times the roads are practically impassable 
in winter. They can clearly be dispensed with entirely dur- 
ing the winter months in some places. So, too, they are un- 
necessary at any season of the year when the moon is fu 1. 
And, again, during six months of the year the bnulevards are 
not used by anybody but automobilists after 11 p.m.. and the 
automobiles furnish their own light. 

I can see no good reason for Avasting light on Charles 
River Basin after 1 a.m. 

Many of the State highways are not lit after 12 at night, 
and I find that almost every town in the metropolitan dis- 
trict burns electric lights on the average of six hours per 
night, and 26 or 27 nights per month, the price for this light- 
ing being approximately the same as the Welsbaeh system. 

Engineekij^g Departmeistt. 

This department calls for $18,780 for 1911, as against 
$14,000 for 1910. This increase is due chiefly to the addi- 
tion of Charles River Basin. This year there has been a 
readjustment of the engineering force, due to a theory that it 
is better to have three distinct parties of a transitman and 
two rodmen than to attempt to cover the work by a second 
assistant engineer, one transitman and three rodmen. The 
salary of the draughtsman this year was increased $100, as 
he is an old employee, apparently a man of considerable 
ability. 

A large part of the charge for engineers was formerly made 
to the loan fund and did not appear under maintenance, 



46 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June, 

whereas now the bulk appears nnder maintenance, and this 
year a stenographer receiving $780, and a chauffeur receiv- 
ing $780, appear. The stenographer was formerly charged 
to the loan fund. The chauffeur is a new item. 

The number of employees and the compensation paid to 
them, as a total, has decreased from year to year, because the 
large construction is now practically finished, so that the 
force as at present constituted is devoted almost entirely to 
maintenance, its constructive work being limited to necessary 
additions to the existing system and to repairs of an impor- 
tant nature. 

I have prepared a detailed report on the engineering de- 
partment, which may be referred to if desired. 

Shooting Stand, Blue Hills Reseevation. 

This is a small affair located on Willow Point, Ponkapoag 
Pond, and belongs to a private club. It is located upon park 
land, which was given to the Commonwealth by the will of 
Henry L. Pierce in the year 1900, when he donated 540 
acres as an outright gift to the park system, and a large tract 
of adjoining land, subject to a life estate given to the Aldrich 
family. 

Ponkapoag Pond is a great pond of the Commonwealth, 
and as such the public has the privilege of using it. Only 
a small portion of its shores is publicly owned, and another 
shooting club is located upon the opposite shore on private 
land. The Willow Point stand is located in a locality rather 
inaccessible to the general public and very little visited. 

This shooting club has been in continuous existence for 
probably eight}^ or a hundred years. Mr. Pierce used it at 
times, with the club members, and always gave them permis- 
sion to use it. Mr. Pierce and members of the Aldrich fam- 
ily, who at his death were his principal private legatees, were 
members of the club, and the Aldrich family were ]irobably 
the most frequent visitors there. 

After the death of Mr. Pierce, when the Park Commission 
acquired this whole tract of land, the Park Commission con- 



1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 47 

sidered the question of continuing it there, and consented to 
do so because it was stated to them, by responsible parties, 
that although Mr, Pierce had not formerly incorporated it in 
his will, as it was a matter of no great importance to him, he 
had nevertheless orally expressed a wish that the shooting- 
stand should remain as long as the club and the Aldrieh 
family wished. Mr. Augustus ITemenway, a neighbor of 
Mr. Pierce, and himself a large donor of land in the park 
system, was a member of the Park Commission for several 
years, and presumably was in touch with conditions in this 
vicinity, as he was a close friend of Mr. Pierce. The com- 
mission state that at that time they felt bound to respect the 
wishes of Mr. Pierce, provided that the public sustained no 
injury thereby. 

The club also claimed ownership in the land upon which 
it is located. This contention may or may not have been 
strong, but apparently had some foundation. The upshot of 
the whole matter was that the attorney for the club and the 
commission came together, and the commission allowed the 
club to be a tenant at sufferance on this location, with the ex- 
press understanding that whenever jniblic necessity or con- 
venience required its removal the club w^ould move. 

I recommend that the commission, to the best of its judg- 
ment, determine whether they consider that public necessity 
and convenience call for its removal at this time. 

Public opinion in the vicinity of Ponkapoag seems to be 
divided. Those nearest to the shooting lodge seem to have 
no complaint to make, and state that they have heard of no 
complaint. In the town of Canton, however, which is lo- 
cated near by, there are quite a few people who seem to be 
of the opinion that this privilege should no longer continue. 

Polo Field. Blue Hills RESEKVATioisr. 

This field is located on park land at the extreme end of 

the Blue Hills Reservation, near Ponkapoag. It has been 

in existence for about six years, and was constructed by ^h\ 

Joseph B. Crocker, who lives on land immediately con- 



48 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June, 

tiguous to the polo field, and by others interested with him. 
He made a proposition to the Park Commission that he be 
allowed to develop an unused field into a polo field. Pie and 
his associates were to bear the entire cost of construction and 
afterwards the entire cost of maintenance. The Park Com- 
mission assented to this proposition, with the express under- 
standing that as it was located on public gTound the public 
should have the privilege of playing polo there also, and that 
in case of conflicting dates the matter should be adjusted by 
the commission. 

The polo field has never been used by the general public, 
and no complaints have been made by persons desiring to 
play horse polo. It is alleged, however, that boys in the 
neighborhood on several occasions have desired to play base- 
ball here when, the field was not being used for polo pur- 
poses, and have been stopped from so doing. 

If there be no facilities for playing baseball near by, and 
there is a genuine public demand for it on this portion of the 
reservation, the commission, at a very slight expense, can 
provide a field for the boys, so that there need be no conflict 
between baseball players and polo players. 

There seems to be a genuine public sentiment against the 
way the polo ground has been managed. It was believed by 
many local residents, until recently, that the polo field was 
on private property. Even officers on the reservation be- 
lieved this. 

A no-trespassing sign was posted on the park land at the 
very edge of the polo field, and a number of different local 
residents state that they have been ordered off while witness- 
ing games. The Park Commission, when this matter was 
called to their attention by me, immediately took steps to 
remedy the matter, and in the future signs will be posted in 
this vicinity informing the public as to the whereabouts of 
park property, that the public may have the use of it. 

The polo field is located on a piece of park property that 
is between two tracts of privately owned land. The result 
has been that the public were ignorant, except in a few in- 



1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 49 

stances, of its being park property. A secretive policy re- 
garding its real ownership seems to have been pursued l)y 
some of those using the polo field. 

Various complaints seem to exist in this section that this 
field has been used for the benefit of a favored few. As the 
Park Commissioners state, however, that no complaints were 
ever made to them, and that they have never been put on 
notice regarding these alleged occurrences, it seems to be a 
matter that they are competent to handle now that they are 
fully informed as to local sentiment. 



INDEX. 



Recommendations : — ■ 

That jurisdiction of bridge between Cambridge and Boston be taken 

from Park Commission and treated as other bridges, . . .16 

Itemized statement of expense fund, ...... 19 

Reduction of $10,000 in item of labor, teaming and keep of horses, . 29 

Town of Hull should bear $5,000 of expense of Nantasket police force, 32 
That Charles River Basin be popularized and made helpful to the 

masses, ........... 36 

That employees of Charles River Basin be placed under civil service, 36 
Reduction of police force, $10,000 (exclusive of recommendations as 

to Nantasket and Charles River Basin), ..... 38 

Special automobile tax or license for metropolitan district of $5 on 

motor vehicles under 30 horse power, and of $10 for larger ones, . 38 

Reduction in price of bathing, ....... 42 

To place State highways in metropolitan district under control of 

Metropolitan Park Commission, ...... 42 

Reduction of $5,000 in lighting 44 

Letter to Governor, .......... 5 

Growth of park system, ......... 7 

Organization, . .......... 9 

Divisions of work, .......... 12 

Property of commission, ......... 13 

Buildings, ......... .15 

Bridges, ........... 16 

Factory, ........... 17 

Laundries, ........... 17 

Cost of park system, . ......... 18 

Receipts of park system, ......... 20 

Appropriations, .......... 22 

Commissioners' salaries, ......... 24 

General office salaries, ......... 25 

Extra clerical assistance, ......... 25 

General office supplies and miscellaneous expenses, . . . .26 

Law department, . . . . . . . . . .26 

Band concerts, ........... 27 

Labor, teaming and keep of horses, ....... 27 

Watering or its equivalent, ........ 29 

Supplies and miscellaneous expenses, ....... 30 

Gypsy moth work, .......... 30 

Nantasket Beach, .......... 32 

Wellington Bridge, .......... 34 

Mateer pension, .......... 34 

Charles River Basin, .......... 35 

Police 36 

Metropolitan auto license, . . . . . . . .38 

Automobile traffic on boulevards, ....... 39 

State highways in district, ........ 42 

Lighting, . . . . . . . . . . . .44 

Engineering department, ......... 45 

Shooting stand, .......... 46 

Polo field, 47 



LB D '12 




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